Method of and machine for channeling soles



m 24, 1934. F. RICKS 1,967,327

METHOD OF AND MACHINE FOR CHANNELING SOLES Filed July 9. 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet l [Ill 0 July 24, 1934. F. RICKS METHOD OF AND MACHINE FOR CHANNELING SOLES Filed July 9. 1930 s Sheets-Sheet 2 *h fh ahg ammmm' July 24, 313%534. K5

METHOD OF AND MACHINE FOR CHANNELING SOLES Filed July 9. 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented July 24, 1934 UNITED STAT METHOD OF AND MACHINE FOR CHANNELING SOLES I Fred Ricks, Leicester, England, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Paterson, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application July 9, 1930, Serial No. 466,617 In Great Britain August 1, 1929 24 Claims. (01. 12-27) This invention relates to methods of channeling soles and to improvements in channeling machines. The invention is herein illustrated in its application to the channeling and feathering or edge reducing of soles although it is not necessarily limited to the performance ofboth these operations conjointly. Moreover, the invention is exemplified herein as being concerned with the cutting in a sole of a continuous channel which is of the American type at opposite sides of the shank and of the English type around the forepart of the sole, such an operation (hereinafter referred to as two-type channeling) being described in United States Letters Patent No.

l,901,140,-granted March 14, 1933, on the copending application of Arthur Bates.

s The machine disclosed in the 1 Bates patent above referred to i'sdesigned to effect both twotype channeling and feathering operations upon asole and to that end-the .machine is equipped with two channeling knives and a feathering knife, all of which are arranged inclose proximity to one another to adapt them for operation simultaneously upon a'sole.

One object of the present invention is to pro-- Vide for still further facilitating the performance of two-type channeling and, if desired, feathering operations upon a sole. i

With this object in view,-the invention, considered in its method aspect, provides for subdividing the channeling operations necessary to the cutting oftwo types of channels in a single sole, part of the channeling being performed at one operation and the remainder of the channeling, and if desired the feathering, being performed at another operation. As exemplified herein, the first operation just referred'to consists in forming in sequence, in a single continu ing operation, an American channel of part depth only in the shank portion, and an English channel of full depth around the forepart of a sole, while the second operation consists in deepening, and thus completing, the American channel in the shank portion of the sole and feathering or reducing the sole edgel By sub-dividing the operations as above'described it becomes practicable to. employ machineswhich are relatively inexpensiveto build and which require the exercise of little care in adjusting the knives and in r maintaining them in good cutting condition. It

also becomes practicable, without the use of expensive and complicated mechanism, to make the American portion of thechannel deeper than the English portion of the channel. In accordance with the method asherein exemplified a change in the character of the feathering or sole edge reducing operation is effected in the vicinity of the junction of the shank with the forepart of the sole a maximum amount of reduction be" ing effected at the shank and a minimum amount at the forepart. Moreover, by combining the operations of deepening the American portion of the channel and feathering or reducing the sole edge it is practicable to insure that a desired definite relation shall be established between the points where the relatively deep American portions of the channel join the English portion thereof and the points where the change in the character of the feathering operation is effected.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an emcient and reliable machine which will be adapted for performing the second operation or second step of the method hereinbefore described.

To the accomplishment of this object there has been provided a channeling and feathering machine having a work supporting feed wheel, a feathering knife and a channel knife located above the feathering knife. The machine is provided also, in accordance with a feature of the invention, with an auxiliary work supporting roll located beneath the feathering knife and arranged to turn about an axis nearer the sole than the axis of thefeed wheel, and also with means for relatively displacing the sole andithe channel knife in the course of the operation of the machine to produce in the sole a continuous channel differing in form at different parts of the sole hand, unyieldingly supports the outer marginal portion of the sole directly beneath the region being operated upon by the feathering knife and it co-acts with this unyieldingly mounted knife to insure uniformity of sole edge reduction. In the illustrated machine, the channel knife is arranged to deepen the American channel to such an extent as to make it deeper than the previously formed Englishchannel and as the forepart of the sol'e approaches the channel knife the knife .is

retracted to enable it to track idly through the English channel around the forepart. Thereafter the channel knife is again advanced to complete the American channel at the opposite side of the shank and to make it deeper than the English channel-I While tracking idly in theEn'glish channel at the forepart of thesolethe channel knife functions as a supplementary presser foot, acting just in front of the edge of the feathering knife to hold the margin of the sole which is to be feathered down against the auxiliarywork supporting roll so as to resist any lifting-tendency which may be exerted upon the sole margin by the feathering knife, the "channelknife and'the auxiliary roll co-operating at this time to insure.

a desired uniform thickness of sole edge around the forepart.

anism which operates also to change the angle of the feathering .knifevand .thus to vary the. extent of sole edge reduction. at the shanksand forepart portions of thesole. Moreover, the illustrated mechanism for thuschanging the positions of he channeling and feathering knives isso organized that the change in the extent of sole edge reduction-occurs somewhatiheelward of-the change in the type cfchanneling. a condition whichis desirahle inasmuch. as. it practically insures against the possibility of theldeep feathering at the shank extending-forwardly beyond the ball line.

Theinvention will lie-explained withreference to the accompanyingrdrawings, in: which 1 Fig.1 1 isa front elevational vi w, partially broken away, of r aw portion of: a: channeling machine adapted-to perform: the first step of the improved: method;

Fig. 2 isa detail-view on an. enlarged scale of the channel knife of the machine of Fig.-.1,show' ing the. knife in the retractedpositionxrelatively toa sole; which positionthe knife occupies. when cutting :the. outer: portionofran American :channel inxthe-shank of a .sole';

Fig.3 is a viewsimilarrto Fig: 2,.but: showing the knife-iin'xits advancedzpositiornimwhich posi-' tion then knife :is: adapted: to cut. an" English channelxof full depthraround'ithe:tforepart of a sole;

Figs 4521s? a fragrrrentaryr cross-sectional: View ofasolezillustrating the character of the American :channe'l -tiand iof the feathering. operation which: iszperfo'rmed 1 upon tithe. shank portion of the sole;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional: view of.- a sole illustrating the characterrof the English.= cha-nnel-. and. of the1feathering operation which is 'p'erformedat. the-forepart' of the :sole;

Fig'J'S- is a front elevational view of a: portion of ea: channeling machine which: is adapted" to perform the second-step of the improved method;

Fig; '7 is aside elevational view, partially brok enaway, ofthe machine shownin Fig. 6;

' Fig; 8 "is'-- a i plan View of' certain partsof the machine shown in Fig. 6}" and Fig. Q isa detail: View; in*front-elevation, of certai partsshown" in 'Fig. 6;

'Iii'- improved method may'ad'vantageously be practisedby'tl'i'e use' of the two "machines herein illustrated, the machine of Fig. 1 being utilized topractise the first step of the-method, viz to cut irisequenee, in a single continuing operation, the outer or entrant portion only of an Americanchannel' (such as. the channel- A'shown' in Fig. 4) intheshank, and a complete English channel (such'as -the channel EshowninxFig. 5)"

As shown herein, the channelknife is retracted at one side of the sole: and'advancedat the opposite side of the sole by treadle mech-- around the forepart of a sole, while the machine of Figs. 6 to 9, inclusive, is utilized to perform the second step of the method, viz., to complete the American channel in the shank and to perform a feathering or reducing operation along boththe shank and forepart of the sole. While the operations performed upon the sole are herein referred to as comprising the formation of anAmerican channel in the shank and an English channel in the forepart of the sole, it is to be understood": that actually there is produced, ina single continuing operation, a single continuous channelv which extends around the sole from'a point. at the rear of the shank in one lateral margin of the sole forwardly along the forepart and around the toe and thereafter rearwardlysalong-theopposite lateral margin of the sole to a point at the rear of the shank correspondlngto the point of the beginning of the channel, this channel being of the American type (i..- e., having its: entrant portionv in the edge face-of the sole or upper corner of the sole edge) along theshank portion of the sole, and of. the English type (i. e., being-cutdownwardly and inwardly from thev face of the sole'):,around the forepart of the sole.

In-..practising. these channeling operations. by the use of the illustrated machines, the American-channel may ultimately be deepenedfto: such anextentas to make it-deeper than the English channel or, ifdesired, it may be-made of. the same" depth asthe Englishchanneh Moreover, themethod as carried'out'by the illustrated -ma-= chines, involves the performance-"of a substantial feathering operation at either lateralmargin of the shank, concurrently withv the deepening. of the Americanchannel in those portions of the sole,.and theeifecting of onlyja slight feathering or. evening operation around the forepart of. thesoie while the soleis being fed to transfer. operations from one-lateralmargin: of the shank to theother.

While it is to be understood that the method herein disclosed and claimed need notnecessarily be practised bythe-use of the illustrated machines, the various-steps of the method will, for convenience, be explained in; connection with the following description of the constructionand mode of operation of these machines.

Referring-first to Fig. 1, the'machine shown therein is-a'channeling-machine of a well-known type: customarilyemployed in. channeling. outsoles for McKay-sewed shoes, such'a machine being disclosed, for example, in United States Letters-Patent-No. 663,050, granted Dec. 4, 1900, upon; application of C. P. Stanbon. The machineshown-in Fig. 1 comprises .a'frame a portion of which is indicated at 10, a lower feed wheel 12 carried by a horizontal feed-wheel shaft 14', an upper feed or presser' roll 16v carried by a shaft 18 journaled in a pivotally mounted head 20, and-a presser foot 21 which is fixedlysecured to the headZO. The construction and-arrangement of the above-mentioned parts is similar to that of corresponding parts disclosed in'the patent referred to except that the head 20 of the illustrated machine is shaped somewhat differently from the head of the machinev shown in the patent to provide room for mechanism hereinafter to be described. The mode of operation of all the movable parts above referred to is the same as that of corresponding parts in the machine of said patent and reference may be had to that patent for particulars: of construction and operation not hereinafter specifically described; The machine of Fig. 1', however-, is

provided with channeling means which is constructed, arranged and operated substantially as disclosed and'clai'med in UnitedStates Letters Patent No.1,891,2'71, granted Dec. 20,- 1932, upon my copending application Serial No. 466,616, filed of even date herewith. i

The machine shown in Fig. 1 is provided with a channel knife carrier 22 which is mounted in knife carrier and have threaded engagement with the knife block. The knife block 34 is provided with a straight guideway 42 in which there is mounted for reciprocation a slide 44 to which a channel knife 46 is fixedly secured by means of screws 45. The knife block 34 is adjusted in the arcuate guideway 30 to position the straight guideway 42 parallel tothe direction of crosswise inclination of the American channel, the outer portion of which is to be cut by the movable knife 46 when the latter is in the retractedposition, relatively to the sole, indicated in Fig. 2. To permit such adjustment of the 'guideway 42, the slots 38 are curved about a point coincident with the tip of the knife 46 when the latter occupies the advanced position hereinafter referred to. The movable knife 46 is shaped like the us'ual English channel knife having a curved cutting edge portion. 47 (Fig. 2) adapted to form the curved entrant portion of an Englishchannel in the face of a sole and a straight edged cutting portion 48 extending to the tip of the knife which functions when the knife is in the retracted position shown in Fig. 2 to form the outer portion only of an American channel in the shank and when the knife is in the advanced position shown in Fig. 3 to form the inner portion of the English channel in the forepart of the sole.

For thepurpose of moving the knife46 between a position in which it is adapted to cut the outer portion of an American channel and a position in which it is adapted to forma complete Englishchannel, the rear of the slide 44 has fixed to it a pivot. pin 50 on which is pivoted a rectangular block 52 that is embraced by a fork 54formed as the lower arm of a bell crank lever 56 fulcrumed upon a stud 58 carried by a boss 60 projecting upwardly from the rear-of the knife block 34. The upper arm of the bell crank lever 56 is connected to a treadle rod 62 whichis normally held in an upper position by a spring 64 so that the upper armof the bell crank lever 56 is held against, and its upward movement limited by, an adjustable stop 66. Downward movement of the upper arm of the bell cranklever 56 is limited by a second adjustable stop 68. The stops 66 and 68 are carried by brackets 70 and '72 extending rearwardly' from the knife'block 34. The" construction and arrangement of :the above-described parts is such that when the machine is to operate upon the shank portion of a sole, such as the sole S shown in the drawings, the treadle connected with the treadle rod 62 is not depressed with the result that the upper arm of the bell crank lever 56 is held by the spring 64' against the stop 66 and consequently the channel knife 46 is held in the retracted position relatively to the sole shown in Fig. 2, in which position it will cut the outer orentrant portion of an American channel by means of the straight portion 48 of its front cutting edge, the flap or channel lip being lifted by the thicker rear part of the knife 46 as the cut is being made. While the English channel is being formed in the forepart of the sole, however, the treadle connected with the rod 62 is held depressed with the result that the knife 46 occupies the advanced position relatively to the sole shown in Fig". 3, in which position its entire front cutting edge is effective to cut an English channel in the usual manner. The treadle connected with the rod 62 is depressed as the portion of the sole marginin the vicinity of the ball line at the side of the sole first operated upon approaches the channel knife whereupon the knife is shifted in such a manner as to cause the channel being cut thereby to change gradually from a channel of the American type to a channel of the English type and when the portion of the sole margin in the vicinity of the ball line at the opposite side of the sole approaches the channel knife the treadle connected with the rod 62 is released, whereupon the channel knife is retracted'in such a manner as to cause the channel to change gradually from a channel of the English type to a channel 'of the American type, the entrant portion of the channel crossing the upper corner of the edge face of the sole as each change in the type of the channel isbeing effected. 1

'Afterthe machine shown in Fig. 1 has operated, as above described, to form in sequence in a single continuing operation, the outer portion of an American. channel along the shank'arid an English channel around the forepart of a sole, the sole is presented to a second machine which is to perform the second step of the method ent hereinbefore'referred to, the second machine 1;:

comprising a frame 80, a lower feed wheel 82 carried by a horizontal feed wheel shaft 84, an upper feed or presser roll 86 carried by the presser roll shaft 88jou1naled in a pivotally mounted head'90, and a presser foot 92 fixedly secured to the head 90. With the exception of the lower feed Wheel 82, which is somewhat narrower than the lower feed wheel shown in Fig. 1;

the parts just mentioned are similar in construcof corresponding parts in the machine of Fig. l and also in the machine of the patent hereinbee fore referred to. To adapt the second machine to complete the partially formed American channel and also to reduce or feather the edge of'the sole, this machine is provided with a channel knife 111 (Fig. 6) and a reducing or feathering knife 187 (Fig. 9) which are constructed, arranged and operated as will hereinafter be described.

The lower feed roll 82 of the machine of Figs. 6 to 9, inclusive, which is now' being described is arranged to support the sole in a region spaced inwardly from the portion of the sole margin which is actually being cut by the channeling and feathering knives, and in order to support adequately the marginal portion which'is being cut, a knurled roll 94, of relatively small diameter, is mounted to turnfreely upon a horizontal stud 96 which is parallel to the feed wheel shaft 84 andz-whichiis carried by a bracket 98 secured by bolts 10.0 to the;frame.80.- An edge gage roll 102 is mounted-to turnfreely upon the bracket '98 in a location adjacent to the roll 94. The arrangement-is suchthat the-left-hand side of the small work supporting roll 94 isclose to the righthand side of the lower feed wheel 82 and the highest part of the periphery ofthe small roll 94 is levelzwith the highest part-of the periphery of the feed wheel 82. Thus, the small roll 94 serves to support the right-hand margin of a sole where it is to be operated upon by the channel knife 111 and the feathering knife-187, these knives being situated as close as possible,- to the roll 94 so as to co-operate therewith as the sole is being fed through the machine. The presser foot 92 rises and-falls with the pivoted-head 90, and with the presser roll 86 carried thereby, according to variations in the thickness of the work and serves to press the margin of the sole against the highest part of the small work supporting roll 94- at apoint just infront of the channel knife, the latter being setv to operate uponthe sole-margin just as the latter is passingoiffrom the highest-part of the roll 94. Thus, the'cutting means can? be positioned very close tothe-biteof the rolls so that the portion of the sole margin which is being operated upon is adequately supported with the result that, where a-featheringoperationis being effected in addition to-a channeling operation, it is insured that the: thickness of the reduced sole margin shall be only that desired-irrespectiveof. the'quality of the sole material or'the'condition of the'sole at the time of operation.

The channeL'knife 111', which is especially shaped for completing the partially cut American channel, is attached=by= screws 112 to the rear of the'lower end of a slide 113 which is mounted for up-and-down adjustment in a slideway 114 out inacarri'er 115, the slide 113 being adjusted vertically in the carrier 115 by means of a screw 117 and being fixed in adjusted position by a screw 119. Thecarrier'11'5 is in turn mounted for lateral' movement in a guideway 121 out in the pivoted'head 90, the guideway 121 being parallel to the direction of crosswiseinclination of a typical Americanchannel. The carrier 115 is normally pressed forwardly; or toward the left in Fig. 6, by a compression spring 123 until-an adjustable screw 125 carried'by the carrier 115' comes into contact with a stop 127 extending forwardly from the head 90'.

The channel knife carrier 115 may be pulled toward the right by meansof a chain 129', the lefthand end of which is connected to a pin 131 projecting forwardly from a latch 133, the lower end ofwhich is pivoted at 135 to the carrier11'5'; The upper end of the latch 133 is .normally' held against a lug 137 projecting forwardly from the upper portion of the carrier 115. An adjustable stop-pin 139 carried by the latch is adapted to contactwith a lug 141 projecting forwardly from the head 90;. Thev stop-pin 139 thus determines the amount by which the chain 129 moves the carrier 1'15 and therefore the channelingknife 1'11 toward the right.

The chain 129 passes over a guide pulley 143 on the front of the head 90 and downwardly to the front'end of a horizontalrocker-145 (see also Fig. 8) pivoted between its ends to a pm 147 projecting to' the right from an approximately horizontal yoke-shaped rocking lever 148 which embraces the right-hand end of the head 90. The rear arm of the rocking lever 148 is pivoted on a pin- 149 projectingfroma boss 150 on the rear of-the head 90. The front arm 151 of therocking lever 148 is connected by a shackle 153' (Fig. 6) to. a rod 155 that extends downwardly and is connected through a spring, 157 to the upper box-end 159 of atreadle rod, the lower end of which is connected to a foot treadle (not shown).

The feathering knife 187- of the second machine is generally similar to that described in the patent to. Bates No. 1,901,140 above referred to, and

- less extent around the forepartas indicated at b in Fig. 5. For this purpose the feathering knife 187 is mounted for tilting adjustment (to vary the angle of the cutmade thereby) by meansof mechanism which will now be described.

Extending rearwardly and to the. left' from' the rear. of the left-hand end of the frame 80 into a position behind the feed wheel 82 is abracket 161 (Fig. 7) which'is provided on its left-hand face with a vertical guideonwhich: a slide 165 is mountedfor vertical adjustment by means of 'a screw 167, a bolt 169 fixing the slide 165 inadjusted'. position. Mounted for oscillation: in a bearing '171 on the topof'the slide 165 is around rod 173' which is pressed rearwardly by a-spring 175 located between the bearing 171' and'a collar 177 on the rod, the rearward movementof the rod being limited by contact of its rear end with-an adjustable stop 179 carried by the slide 165.

The front end of the rod 173 is provided with a work guide 181, the top face of which serves to guide and'support the work after it leaves the feathering knife. The front endof the rod 173 also'carries-an-elbow-183' (Fig. 9) that extends'to the right and forwardly. Supported upon the top-forward face of the elbow 183 is a block 185 having an aperture in which'is located the approximately horizontal shank 186 of the feathering knife 187; The block 185 is' provided with a depending screw 189' that passes through the elbow 183 and by means of which theblock 185 is drawn downwardly to grip the knife shank against the top face of the elbow 183. The knife 187 extends to the left (having a cutting edge on its front margin) and at its left-hand end is turned downwardly into the narrow space between the feed wheel 82- and' the roll 94 so that a'clean severance of the-skived-ofimaterial may be insured-at the margin of the skive farthest from the sole edge.

The feathering knife 187 is set with its front cutting edge as close as possible to the highest part of the small roll-94 so that it operates upon the underside of the sole margin supported by the roll immediately after the same passes off the roll. Its cutting edge is indeed approximately under the cutting edge of the channeling knife.

The rear part of the elbow 188 is provided, with a recessinto which projects a horizontal forwardly and rearwardly extending pin 191', Fig. 7. This pin 191 is embraced by a hook 193 on the lower end of a-vertical bar 195 that is vertically slidable in a recess ina housing 197 carried by the head'90., A pin inthe bar projects into a vertical slot 1192 in the housing and is adapted tolimit upward and downward move- 'mentof the 'bar 195 in its housing 19'7. A compression spring 199 between the bottom of 'a recess in the top of the housing and a nut 201 on the threaded upper end of the bar 195 normally lifts the bar into its uppermost position. Thus the feathering knife 187 is connected to the head 90 and will have its angle changed slightly as the head 90 rises and falls due to changes in work thickness, so that theprecleter mined desired edge thicknesses at the diiferent partsof the featheredsole shall be maintained regardless of variations in thickness of one and the same sole or as between successive soles.

. In order that the head 90 may be detachable readily from the machine the housing 197, instead of being fixed to the head 99, is connected. thereto by horizontal trunnions 203 extending forwardly and rearwardly of the machine so that a the housing may be readily swung to disconnect the hook 193 from the pin 191 after the withdrawal of i a screw that normally holdsthe housing in connecting position.

To the rear of the head 90 there is pivoted upon a pin 211 (Fig. 6) a three-armed lever 212 having an arm 213 overlying and contacting with the top of the bar 195, and an'arm 215 carrying an adjustable stop-pin 217 that contacts with a stop 219 on the head 90. By adjusting the stop-pin 217 the initial vertical position of the bar 195 maybe adjusted, which adjustment will correspondingly adjust the initial angle that the feathering knife 18'? makes with the horizontal. The third or depending arm 221 of the three-armed lever 212 is connected by a chain 223 that passes over a guide pulley 224 on the rear of the head 90 (corresponding to the guide pulley 143) to the rear end of the rocker 145.

Consequently when the foot treadle is depressed the channel knife is. moved endwise through the chain 129 and the feathering knife is tilted through the chain 223. I

It will be observed that the pivot-pin 147 (Fig. 8) is located one-third of the length of the rocker 145 from the rear end of the latter. Owing to this construction the pull of the treadle rod 159 through the pivot-pin 147 would (on the assumption that the resistance to movement of the parts controlled respectively by the chains 129 and 223 are equal) have the result that the chain 223,

heelward of the location at which thechange in' the position of thechannel knife occurs and there will be no risk that a feather edge of the character provided for at the shank shall extend into the forepart of the sole. i

It is to be understood that the channel knife is given capacity for lateral movement merely to provide for the deepening of the channel in the shank, since some manufacturers prefer that the base of the channel should in the shankbe slight- 1y further from the edge of the sole than it'is in Should such movement not be re-- the forepart. quired the screws 125, 139 are screwed'upuntil they contact with the stops 127, 141. It should also be understood that relative movement between knife and sole for producing such deepened channel may be obtained with a fixed knife by lateral movement of an adjustable edge guide in a well-known manner, although itis preferred to I move the knife.

One advantage of the machine just described is that there being only one channel knife the machine is comparatively free from mechanism in the region'adjacent to the working location and itconsequently becomes comparatively easy to position the cutting edge of the feathering knife approximately immediately below the cutting edge of the channel knife with the result that the sole can the more readily be turned at thetoe end during work feed and the beveling and channeling the more ready maintained in proper correlation at that part of the sole.

The operation of the machine shown in Figs. 6 to 9' is as follows: In commencing work on a sole the channel knife first deepens, along one lateral margin of the shank, the American channel commenced in a previous operation (making the root of the American channel farther from the sole edge'than the root of the English channel, provided the screws 125, 139 are set for that purpose), and the feathering knife at the same time removes a considerable skiving from the under or flesh face of the sole, thus considerably reducing the thickness of the sole margin. When the forward end of the shank is reached the operator, by the one treadle movement, both reduces the inclination of the feathering knife edge to the horizontal and retracts the channeling knife toward the right (if the screws 125, 139 have been set as just indicated) as the feed of the work continues. As a result the amount of the skiving is gradually reduced to that which is needed around the forepart and the channel knife is gradually withdrawn somewhat from the channel as the sole is fed forward so as to bring the chan- .nel knife into such a position relatively to the English channel in the forepart that the knife will track idly in the English channel while the forepart of the sole is being feathered. When the other end of the forepart isreached the parts are moved reversely so that the channel knife may once more come into action andthe feathering knife be once more substantially tipped respectively to channel and feather the opposite lateral margin of the shank. The small diameter of the roll 94 allows of the actual cutting edges of the two knives being located approximately vertically above one another and both so close to the fbite of the presser foot and the roll that with this arrangement the channel knife, both when it tracks idly in the English channel and when it is deepening the partly formed American channel, acts more or less as a presser foot approximately over the edge of the feathering knife to hold the margin of the sole which is. to be feathered down against any lifting tendency thereon of the'feathering knife and apparently owing to this no difficulty seems to present itself in obtaining that uniform thickness of skived edge which is desired, even when very substantial skiving is effected in the shank portion of the sole. The arrangement insures that the thickness of the sole edgein the shank between the channel and the flesh face of the sole shall remain uniform for any given angle of the feathering knife, although the said thickness may vary if, for the purpose ofmaintaining a uniform Having .described my invention, what :I' claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentof the United States is:

ljThat improvement in the art of channeling soles which comprises forming in a sole, in sequence, in a single continuing operation, a continuous channel which is of one type and is only partially completed at one portion of the sole and which is of another type in another portion of the sole, and thereafter completing the said partially completed portion of the channel in another operation.

21That improvement. in the art of channeling soles which comprises forming in sequence, in -a single continuing operation, a partially completed channel of one type in one portion of a sole, and a completed channel of another type in a different portion of the sole, and thereafter completing said partially formed channel in another operation.

3. That improvement in the art of channeling soles which comprises forming in sequence, in a singlecontinuing'operation, an American channel of only1part depth in the shank portion of a sole and an English channel of full depth around the'forepart of the sole, and thereafter deepening said American channel in another operation.

4. That improvement in the art of channeling soles which comprises forming in sequence, in a single continuing operation, a partially eomplete'd channel of one type in one portion of a sole and-a completed channel of a different type in ano'therportion of the sole, and thereafter, in another operation, completing said partially formed channel and simultaneously beveling the face of the sole margin.

5. That improvement in the art of sole fitting which comprises forming a partially completed channel inv one portion of a sole and a completed channel another portion of the sole, completing said partially formed channel, reducing the e thickness of the portion of the sole having said partially formed channel, and reducing to diiieient extent the edge thickness of the por- .lan of the sole having the other channel.

SfThat improvement in the art of sole fitting winch conprices forming in a sole a continuous channel of only. part depth in one portion of the sole and of full depth in another portion of the sole, and thereafter deepening the first-mentioned channel and beveling the face of the-sole to reduce the edge thickness of both of said poitions of the sole.

7. That improvement in the art of sole fitting which comprises forming partially completed channels at opposite sides of the shank portion of a sole and a completed channel in the forepart of the sole, completing said partially'formed channels, reducing to a substantial extent the edge thickness of the shank portion ofthe sole,

and reducing to a less extent the edge thickness of the forepart of the sole.

8." That improvement in the art of channeling soles which consists in forming in a sole, in

-- -a continuing operation, a continuous channel which is of the American type and of onlypart depth at opposite sides of the shank portion of the sole-and which is of the English type and of full depth around the forepart, and thereafter deepeningthe portionspf thechannel at opposite sides of the shank in another operation.

.9. :That improvement in the art of channeliI-lQ SOIGSPWhlCh comprises forming a-channel of only-part 1depth-at opposite-sides of the shank portion of the--so1e and a channel of full depth .around the forepart of the'sole, feeding the sole thus channeled through a machine having a knife initially positioned to deepen the channel in the shank to such an extent as to make it deeper than the channel in the forepart, and during such feeding of the sole retracting'the knife to enable it to track idly through the previously formed channel around the forepart and later advancing the knife to enable it to deepen the channel at the opposite side of the shank.

10. That improvement inthe' art of channeling soles which comprises forming an American channel of only part depth-at opposite-sides of the shank portion of the sole and an English channel of full depth around the forepart of the sole, feeding the sole thus channeled through a machine having a knife initially positioned to deepen the channel at one side of the shank to such an extent as to make it deeper than the channel in the forepart, and during such feeding of the sole relatively moving the sole and the knife transversely of the direction of feed first to decrease the extent of penetration of the knife to enable it to track idly through the previously formed English channel in the forepart and later to increase the extent of penetration-ofthe'knife to cause it to deepen the American channel at the opposite side of the shank.

11. That improvement in the art of sole fitting which comprises operating progressively along the margin of a sole to form an American channel in the shank and an'English channel at the forepart of the sole, reducing to a maximum'degree the sole edge thickness at the shank and to a minimum degree the sole edge thickness at the forepart, the change in degree of-sole'edge reduction preceding the change in the type of the channeling.

12. That improvement in the art of sole fitting which comprises operating progressively along the margin of a sole to form an American channel at one lateral margin of the shank, an English channel around the forepart, and an American channel'at the opposite lateral margin of the shank, and reducing the edge thickness of the sole to a maximum extent at both lateral margins of the shank and to a minimum extent around the forepart of the sole,'the change inthe extent of sole edge reduction preceding the change in the type of channeling at the lateral margin of the shank first operated upon and following the change in the type of channeling at the opposite lateral margin of the shank.

13. In a sole fitting machine, a Work supporting feed wheel, an auxiliary work supporting roll arranged to turn about an axis nearer the sole than the axis of said feed wheel and to engage the sole margin nearer the sole edge than said-feed wheel, a feathering knife located above said auxiliary roll, a channel knife arranged above the feathering knife, and means for relatively dis" placing the sole and the channel knife in the course of the operation of the machine to produce in a sole a continuous channel differing in form-at different parts of the sole margin.

14. 111 a sole fitting machine, a work supporting' feed wheel, an auxiliarywork supporting roll arranged to turn about an axis nearer'the sole thanthe axis'of said feed wheeland to engage the solemarginnearer the sole edge thansaid for shifting the channel knife relatively to the sole and the reducing knife in the course of the operation of the machine to produce in a sole a continuous channel differing in form at different parts of the sole margin. I

15. In a sole fitting machine, a work supporting feed wheel, an auxiliary work supporting roll arranged to turn about an axis nearer the sole than the axis of said feed wheel and to engage the sole margin nearer the sole edge than said feed wheel, an unyieldingly mounted reducing knife having its cutting edge close to the bite of said auxiliary roll, an upwardly yieldable channel knife having its cutting edge substantially in the vertical plane of the cutting edge of said reducing knife, and a presser foot mounted to yield with said channel knife for controlling the depth of the channel.

16. In a machine for use in two-type channeling, a channel knife constructed and arranged to deepen a previously formed channel of the American type in a sole and to track idly in a previously formed English channel in the sole without mutilating said English channel, and means for feeding a sole to said knife.

17. In a machine for use in two type channeling, a movable channel knife shaped to adapt it when in one position to deepen an American channel partially formed in a sole in a previous operation and to track idly in a previously formed English channel in the sole when the knife is located in another position, and means for moving the knife between said two positions.

18. In a machine for use in two-type channeling, a movable channel knife shaped to adapt it when in one position to deepen an American channel partially formed in a sole in a previous operation and to track idly in a previously formed English channel in the sole when the knife is located in another position, meansfor moving the knife between said two positions, and means for varying the extent of movement of the knife.

19. In a machine for use in two-type channeling, a movable channel knife shaped to adapt it when in one position progressively to deepen a partially formed American channel in a sole and to track idly in a previously formed English channel in the sole, a movable member for performing another progressive operation upon the sole concurrently with said channeling operation, means for moving said knife between said two positions, and means for moving said member in a predetermined timed relation to the movement of said knife.

20. In a machine for operating progressively along the margins'of soles, a channel knife adjustablefrom one position in which it is adapted to deepen a previously formed channel in one portion of the sole to another position in which it is adapted to track idly in a previously formed channel of less depth than the first channel, a knife adjustable between two positions for re-- ducing to different extents in different localities along the margins of soles, a channel knife ad:- justable from one position in which it is adapted to deepen a previously formed channel in one portion of the sole to another position in which it is adapted to track idly in a previously formed channel of less depth than the first channel, a knife adjustable between two positions for reducing to different extents in different localities the edge thickness of the sole, and connections between said knives whereby the reducing knife is caused to be adjusted in accordance with the position of the channel knife, said connections being constructed and arranged so that the change in position of the channel knife precedes the change of adjustment of the reducing knife.

22. In a machine for operating progressively along the margins of soles, a channel knife adjustable from one position in which it is adapted to deepen previously formed channels at opposite sides of the shank portion of a sole to another position in which it is adapted to track idly in a previously formed channel of less depth than the first channels around the forepart of the sole, a knife adjustable between two positions for reducing the edge thickness of the sole to different extents in the shank and in the forepart of the sole, and connections between said knives whereby the reducing knife is caused to be adjusted in accordance with the position of the channel knife, said connections being constructed and arranged so that the change in position of the channel knife precedes the change of adjustment of the reducing knife at one side of the shank and follows the change in adjustment of the reducing knife at the opposite side of the shank of the sole. I

23. In a sole fitting machine, an adjustable channel knife, an adjustable sole edge reducing knife, a pivoted rocker, means connecting the channel knife with the rocker at one side of the pivot of the rocker, means connecting the reducing knife with the rocker at the opposite side of said pivot, and an operating member pivoted to the rocker at a point nearer the point of connection of the rocker with the reducing knife than the point of connection of the rocker with the channeling knife whereby a change in adjustment of one of said knives is made to precede a change in adjustment of the other of said knives.

24. In a sole fitting machine, means for feeding a sole to advance its margin progressively through the machine, a channel knife adjustable from a position in which it is adapted to deepen a previously formed channel at opposite sides of the shank portion of a sole to another position in which it is adapted to track idly in a previously formed channel in the forepart of the sole of less depth than the channel in the shank, a knife adjustable between two positions for reducing the edge thickness of the sole to different extents in the shank and forepart, and connections between said knives whereby adjustment of one knife is communicated to the other knife, said connections being constructed and arranged so that changes in the adjustment'of the reducing knife are made to occur heelward of changes of adjustment of the channeling knife.

FRED RICKS. 

